Overview & Reviews

Volkswagen is an automaker based in Germany. Its products typically command a higher price than those of competing models, but the return is a more upscale driving and ownership experience.

In 1934, Ferdinand Porsche was commissioned to build a small, inexpensive car at the request of Adolph Hitler. His answer -- a beetle-shaped sedan that was called a Volkswagen (German for "people's car") -- debuted two years later. Hitler had a town built near the plant for factory workers; he named it Kraft durch Freude Stadt (derived from the Nazi party's motto, "Joy through Strength"), and soon decided that Porsche's creation should be named the KdF-wagen (short for the "Joy through Strength" car). This upset Porsche, who was not political.

World War II delayed production of the vehicle; the factory suffered extensive damage during combat, and was ultimately taken over by the British Army. The company was renamed Volkswagen, and the town at the factory was renamed Wolfsburg (after Werner von Schulenberg of Wolfsburg, who had been forced to surrender his land for the construction of the town and factory). By the end of the 1940s, mass production of the Volkswagen Beetle had begun. The model made its first appearance on U.S. shores in 1949.

The 1950s saw Volkswagen broadening its product range, adding the Bus (Type 2) to its lineup. The Bus, especially, proved quite popular due to its versatility. And the Beetle, which went on to become the best-selling car of all time, quickly showed signs of being an enduring favorite, with more than 1 million models produced at the Wolfsburg factory by 1955. This decade also saw the debut of the Karmann Ghia sports car, which featured a sleek, Italian-designed two-seater body atop a Beetle platform.

Volkswagen's star rose during the 1960s, its success fueled largely by the breakout success of the Beetle. The car benefited from an effective advertising campaign and from an appearance in a popular Disney movie. By the close of the decade, Volkswagen's yearly output of Beetles topped the 1 million mark.

In 1972, with more than 15 million units assembled, the Beetle topped the world production record set by Ford's Model T. Mid-decade saw the launch of a new era of Volkswagens that had front-mounted, water-cooled engines driving the front wheels. The Passat (Dasher in the U.S.) was the first of the new breed and was built using standardized components that could be used interchangeably among other models in the manufacturer's lineup. The Passat was soon joined by the Golf (Rabbit in the U.S.), which met with immediate success. By the end of the decade, the manufacturer's lineup had grown to include the Scirocco sport coupe and the performance-oriented Golf/Rabbit GTI. The Beetle, however, was discontinued for the U.S. market.

The Golf grew in popularity during the '80s, becoming Volkswagen's most popular model. When a second generation of the car was built in 1983, it was crafted in a mostly automated process using robots -- marking the first time robots had been used in vehicle manufacture. By the mid-'80s, the U.S. version traded the Rabbit name for "Golf." The higher-performance Golf GTI helped the manufacturer make waves on the rally circuit. In 1986, Volkswagen Motorsport nabbed the title of Group A World Rally Champions.

Volkswagen saw its sales in the North American market tumble during the early '90s, but by the end of the decade, refocused marketing efforts and an increased emphasis on new products had brought about a turnaround in the company's fortunes. The popular New Beetle helped put the company back on the radar in the United States (though it fared less successfully in European markets). The body style was based on the classic Beetle, and it struck a chord with consumers who still had a place in their hearts for the iconic, cheerful-looking "love bug."

The new millennium saw Volkswagen moving into the luxury segment with the launch of the pricey Phaeton sedan and Touareg SUV. Though well-designed and executed, the Phaeton was a disappointment sales-wise, perhaps signaling unwillingness on the part of consumers to shell out premium dollars for a brand that lacks the cachet of established upscale names like BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Luckily, Volkswagen has seen success with other vehicles in its lineup, which currently includes everything from family-oriented sedans to roomy SUVs. Today, the automaker enjoys a reputation for crafting vehicles that offer refined handling and upscale accommodations.

User Reviews:

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  2.0t not bad, not great either - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By mikeb5773 - October 1 - 5:08 pm

  Ive owned the car now for about 4 months. Its an ok driving car, I find there is a bit of a turbo lag. I have had the battery go dead after driving home from work one day, and the in dash CD player doesnt work, the screen reads "CDC Hardware Error" This is unbeleivable as I had a aftermarket CD player in my older car and never gave me any problems. I just find there is no WOW factor with this car. I am nervous after reading all the bad reviews about the fuel pump and other electrical issues. The steering wheel lock module was a recalled item by VW, so mine was fixed. Overall I think someday soon I will trade it and get something more age approprite for a 26 year old. Maybe a Mustang.

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  JUNK - 2001 Volkswagen Jetta
  By kgneuro - September 30 - 10:00 am

  When I purchased "Molly", I was hooked! Great style, fun to drive, so much spunk and personality!!! I was obcessed with her... washing, waxing, birthday parties, "doctors appts." (scheduled maintenance.THEN.... my ignition coil blew, my computer system blew, my power windows broke, my air conditioning broke, my brake lights went out, my brake rotors rusted out, and my "premium BBS wheels"... are splitting and peeling (due to my climate I am told). However, I can replace for 560.00 EACH! Yeah, right. Did I mention this was all in 3(!) months and my warranty ran out?? Shes on her way now to the Honda dealership to find a new home!

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  Its not you, its me... - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Sissie99 - September 29 - 6:33 am

  Dear Jetta- Its not you its me. I think we need to go our separate ways. Ill have fond thoughts of you and the places that we have been, but then I will remember all the pain you caused me and the burning sensation on my credit card. I cant handle the trips to the shop, the dirty looks from the service people, the days of missed work because you broke down and despite what my Dad says, he does not like working on you. I have had every problem under the sun with you except the burning oil thing. Thank God for small favors. Im sorry your window broke and that your thermostat doesnt work and that you have a leaky cooling system. I hope you find a good home when I trade you in or sell you. Love- Me

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  Not for those over 58 - 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
  By K - September 29 - 6:00 am

  I am so disappointed in my car. I am almost 5 9" and can not get comfortable in my seat at all. I started having back problem within about 2 months of having car and now my knee (which only hurts getting out of my car) It sits way too low. I had a bigger vehicle before this purchase and thought I wanted something smaller and more fuel efficient. I am getting low 20s for is partly due to the way I drive, it I can take off fast I do. This is definitely not the vehicle for me. Oh and I had no idea until someone told me weeks later that I needed premium gas due to the turbo engine. So I am paying the same for gas as I was for my larger vehicle. Very disappoint I chose this vehicle. If tall avoid.

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  Fun little car with some quirky issues - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Andrew - September 28 - 8:33 pm

  First thing, I love my Jetta. Despite its tiny 115hp, it is a blast to drive thanks to the manual transmission, great steering and fun ride. I have owned my Jetta for three years now, and have had very few issues. I live in Wisconsin, and this car surprised the hell out of my friends who had trucks and SUVs by its performance in heavy snow and ice. For some reason, it is unstoppable in winter weather. I am also 6ft 1 and have plenty of head and legroom while driving. I am disappointed with the gas mileage, I usually average 26 mpg combined, but have gotten 31-32 mpg on long highway trips. The biggest downside with this powertrain is undoubtedly the engine. I frequently have difficulty passing or I have to downshift 2 gears to make it up a small hill. I wouldnt mind if the return was excellent mileage but the mileage as I mentioned is somewhat mediocre for a car of this size. My only truly negative experience was an EPC censor that would put my car in limp mode. The censor randomly would go off when I would start it, and acceleration was limited and the car would max out at 50mph. I took it to several mechanics and a dealer and eventually found out that a botched repair from a previous owner was to blame. Just be careful with these cars though, as the electronics are really touchy and can be expensive to fix. Other than that, I love my car and have had no other mechanical issues to speak of. I highly recommend this car as a cheap, fun to drive car that isnt as vanilla as a Ford, Chevy or Hyundai.

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  Love my Jetta - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By littlebird - September 28 - 6:26 pm

  I bought the 1.8T with the sports package 225/45/17 and the car handles great I also took the manual transmission. So far so good. Dont like the cup holders blocking the stereo controls but that is it.

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  Unhappy - 2005 Volkswagen Golf
  By Nick - September 25 - 5:03 am

  Too many trips to the dealership for warranty issues has me wishing I kept my 85 Jetta diesel. The last one was for front suspension noises, dash rattles, and a timing belt job. They have to order bushings for the front and a transmission valve body solenoid for another noise it was making. I made it a mile away from the dealer when the turbo went out. This is my third diesel VW and the best one was the 81 rabbit. In the last 4 months, Ive had the golf at the dealer 7 times. The sunroof was 4 trips, the fuel pump was three... it goes on and on. Each time there were other smaller issues. My average fuel mileage is only around 36-38 mpg. My best was 45.6 on a trip.

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  Fun to drive, but a few problems - 2002 Volkswagen GTI
  By wiggum21 - September 24 - 10:00 am

  I fully enjoy my GTI when it doesnt have its problems. All of the recall problems have occured.... window regs and ignition coils. I also had a faulty battery as well and currently dealing with a possible bearing probelm. I know cars have their problems, but when you pay the $$ you do not expect to have so many in under a years time. Overall, the car is a blast, but I do not feel it has been very reliable to date. Hopefully the problems disappear and I can continue to blast around.

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  Former devout VW owner - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By darinmint - September 24 - 10:00 am

  New in Jul ‘00:emissions light on way home from dealer, they kept it for first week for defective fuel line. Year 1 & 2: rear window problems, goo oozing out from doors(3x), temp sensor failures (2x), ECM problem, cup holder(4x?). End of year 3, things have settled down, I hope. Bought it because it drove better than all in price range. But they no longer corner the market on fun-to-drive cars. Sorry VW, but you had a good thing going when you restored your image in the 90s and you blew it. I wonder about the Toureg. Built in Mexico, new model, hmm. Sorry, VW, no more time for your nonsense - buh-bye.

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  Ok - 2014 Volkswagen Passat
  By Larry Allen - September 23 - 1:00 am